Is Kane Footware kid’s line non-toxic and eco-friendly? We staff tested the Revive line to find out.
Table of Contents
Kane Kids’ Collection – Active Recovery Footwear
Kane Footwear launched its kids’ collection on March 8, 2023. This extends the active footwear range to (almost) the whole family. Kane Kids’ Collection offers its signature Revive shoe in sizes C11, C12, C13, J1, and J2. As mama to a tiny toddler, I only wish these shoes were available in much smaller sizes too!
Fortunately, our LeafScore testers include kids keen to try the Kanes and with feet that fit. And these busy kids certainly put the Revive through its paces!
Kane Kids’ Revive Slip-On
Highlights: Mostly bio-based and more eco-friendly foam slip-ons for kids. Closed-toe design, lots of colors available, easy to pull on and off, comfy for all day wear and for soccer, hiking, and other activities. Recyclable, washable, and quick drying!
- Made in Brazil using carbon negative sugarcane-based EVA foam
- Available in 8 fun colorways
- Closed-toe designs suitable for soccer!
- Super comfortable and supportive
- Easy for kids to pull on and get off
- Washable and quick-drying (doesn’t absorb water)
- Lightweight but robust
- Excellent traction, grip, and flexibility
- Shipped from Westfield, Illinois
- Eco-friendly, plastic-free packaging
- Vegan!
- Haven’t been around for long, so no sense of durability
- Not totally plant-based (around 75%)
- Can fit very snug, so size up as needed
- More expensive than (lower quality) slip-ons
First Impressions – Kane Kids’ Revive
The Revive Kids’ slip-on is a hit with our tester. This active kid loved them right out of the box, noting that ‘they look neat’. For a six-year-old, that’s high praise indeed!
After wearing the Revives for a few days, our tester (and parent) also noted that the Revive Kids’:
- Are comfy, with or without socks
- Work for serious playtime
- Also work for relaxed walks (by which they mean serious forest scrambles!).
When we ordered the Revive Kids’ for testing, there were only three color options. Now there are at least eight, including a fun tie dye version!
Features of the Kids’ Revive shoes
We love that the Revive Kids’ shoes are super lightweight slip-ons. This means your kid can get their shoes on and off themselves quite easily and won’t get tired feet and legs if they wear the Revives all day at school. Indeed, the whole design of the Revive is meant to support active recovery, making these shoes a great choice for kids whose feet tend to hurt after an active day.
That said, these shoes will stay put in a way that most foam slip-ons don’t. With the closed-toe for protection, the Revives are a great choice for activities such as soccer. No more shoes flying off mid-kick!
Kane Revives are much more sustainably made than Crocs and similar foam slip-ons. Every shoe is made with a plant-based EVA foam alternative comprising more than 75% sugarcane byproduct.
The Revive Kids’ are also arguably more stylish and modern than Crocs. I can see these shoes being much more likely to satisfy the aesthetic needs of both kids and parents. Let’s face it, some Crocs are just… garish glitterbombs.
Revive also wins points because it:
- Is fully waterproof
- Is easy to wash – you can even throw it in the dishwasher!
- Has a closed-toe design to protect feet
- Provides cushion and support to keep your kids’ feet comfortable all day.
How are Revives sustainable?
The Kane Revive comprises renewable plant-based EVA foam comprising 75% sugarcane byproduct. The foam comes from Brazilian sugarcane and is carbon negative. Kane deliberately makes the shoes in Brazil, so as to keep the overall environmental footprint of the product low.
We go into more detail about the sustainability of the Revive in our adult review here.
Other points to note include that the Revive:
- Is vegan
- Doesn’t contain animal-sourced glues
- Is minimally packaged in FSC certified paper and card
- Is shipped free of plastic.
Performance of the Kane Kids’ Revive
The Kane Revive for Kids is:
- Breathable – no more sweaty feet and blisters!
- Great for pressure relief on hot-spots
- Supportive of blood flow to avoid tired feet
- Good for arch support
- Bouncy and responsive
- Very grippy!
On that last point, for kids who are daredevils, the Revive is a must. The design of this shoes features smartly positioned and oversized sipes. These are basically channels that prevent water making your shoe slippery.
The result is a kids’ shoe with great grip, traction, and flexibility that is also lightweight and comfortable. This is no clunky hiking boot your kid will hate, but it will still serve them well when scrambling over rocks and so forth.
Sizing for Kane Revive Kids’
Kane Revives are a snug-fitting slip-on. In fact, they’re more a pull-on than a slip-on, and they definitely won’t slip off.
Like a running shoe, the Revive Kids’ shoe has a slightly wider bottom part of the toe box, tapering to the front. The mid-section and heel are quite narrow. These are not clunky Crocs.
If your kid has a narrow foot, Kane recommends sizing down if between sizes. For wider feet, Kane recommends sizing up.
However, I’d err caution with this if your kid has a narrow foot but a high arch or tall foot overall. The adult Revive definitely squeezes a little more than I’d like, and I suspect the same would be true for the Kids’ version.
If your kid doesn’t find the Revive comfortable right away, encourage them to wear them for a few more minutes and distract them with something fun. Chances are, the shoes will mold to their feet quite quickly and they’ll forget they’re wearing them.
Why choose Kane Footwear?
Kane Footwear is an American company with headquarters in Westport, Connecticut. If you’re looking for better quality, eco-friendly ‘crocs’ for kids, or just supportive and stylish footwear for active kids, Kane is a great choice.
A little bit about Kane:
- It’s a certified Benefit Corporation (B Corp)
- It’s a 1% for the Planet member
- It was founded by a shoe industry expert
- It focuses on active recovery footwear and sustainable design.
Read more about Kane in our review of the adult Revive here.
Final thoughts on Kane Revive Kids’
Whether your kid is super active and needs comfy, supportive shoes, or your kid is super stylish and wants lightweight, comfy, modern-looking shoes to wear to school, Revive Kids’ are where it’s at.
Our tester is still loving his Revives and they’re yet to show any wear and tear despite much rough handling and serious play. Now the sun is here and it’s beach weather again, the Revives are gearing up for ocean swims, kayaking, and other adventures, and we’ve no doubt they’ll be up to the task and look super cool all year long.
FAQs
Yes! But hand them down first!
The Revive is made with durability in mind, so it’s highly likely your kid will outgrow these shoes long before they show any wear and tear. Pass them onto another kid or look to resell them to recoup some of the cost.
If you do need to recycle them, Kane has a recycling program where you can request a prepaid shipping label to send your old Revives to a third-party, Lavarubber, for recycling. Lavarubber turns those old Revives into new products such as one of a kind yoga mats and changing mats, which Kane also sells. And for each pair of Revives you return, you get a $10 Kane gift card.
Kane Kids’ Revive Slip-On
Highlights: Mostly bio-based and more eco-friendly foam slip-ons for kids. Closed-toe design, lots of colors available, easy to pull on and off, comfy for all day wear and for soccer, hiking, and other activities. Recyclable, washable, and quick drying!